Arm rest or guard for banjos and like musical instruments



- Aug. 6,

. L. A. ELKINGTON 1,723,687

ARM REST OR GUABDFOR BANJOS AND LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed March 1927 ing member which will be provided Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARM REST OR GUARD FOR BANJOS AND LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed March 5, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in arm rests or guards for banjos and like musical instruments.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a banjo or like musical instrument with an arm rest or guard which may be attached to the frame portion of the banjo or like instrument by the end of the bill portions of the hooks.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arm rest or guard for banjos and like instruments which will have increased supporting area or surface and preferably will comprise a segmental plate or shelf extending over and parallel with a portion of the head and also over and parallel with a portion of the rim.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for applying a segmental corner plate to a banjo frame with a concealed fastening adapted to be connected by the terminal end or bill portion of the hook.

Another object of the invention is to produce a concealed fastening or shelf-supportwith a seat for the bill of one or more banjo-hooks and is preferably adapted to fit within the groove of the hoop of the banjo or like musical instrument and to be fastened by the bill portion of the hook.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support for an arm rest plate or the like which is adapted to engage and interlock between the bill portion of banjo hooks and the groove in banjo hoops and to be fastened between such hooks and hoop by the usual head-tightening movement of the hooks.

Another object is to provide an arm rest or guard with a supporting element embodying a hook-shaped plate-member which follows the general contour of the upper end of the banjo hook and has a reversely-bent terminal portion adapted to extend beneath the hook and to fit or seat within the hoopgroove.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form Serial No. 173,040.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, HtWlUCll Fig. l is a plan view-of a banjo to which my improved arm rest or guard is applied; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a bottom View, partly in perspective, of an arm rest embodying my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts separated before fastening.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my iiivention, 1 indicates a banjo of the conventional construction having, as shown, the usual neck 2 and rim 3 on which is mounted a head t having its edge folded about a flesh hoop at and tightened on the rim 3 by a straining hoop 5 having a hook-seat or groove (5 within which seats the bill portions or terminal hook-ends 7 of hooks 7 provided with hook bends 7' extending over the edge of the hoop and shank portions 7 extending parallel with the rim and through holes 8 in brackets 8 fastened to the rim by bolts 9. The ends of the shank portions '7 are, as shown, provided with screw-threads 7 and a nut 10 is threaded on the thread 7 so as to permit pressure to be applied between the bracket and the hoop to fasten and stretch the head 4 on the rim.

In accordance with my invention, I utilize the bill portions of the banjo hooks for fas tening to the head-stretching mechanism of the banjo, an arm rest or guard and in the preferred embodiment of my invention the arm rest or guard is fastened by interlocking between the bill of the banjo hooks and the groove in the banjo hoop, a supporting member 11, having an interengaging grooved terininal end or bill portion 11 adapted to engage the bill of the hook 7 and when the hook is screwed home, is adapted to be interlocked between said hook bill 7 and the hoop groove 6 into which it seats. The supporting member 11 preferably follows the general contour of the banjo hooks and is provided with a vertically-extending portion 11 an outwardly-extending portion 11 and a vertical portion 11, extending parallel with the shanks of the hooks and rim 3 at the outer side thereof. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I preferably utilize a plurality of these supporting-elements ment for the 11 and fasten thereto a shelf or corner-plate member 12 having a segmental horizontallyextending portion 12 and an arcuate vertically-extending apron portion 12 and in the preferred embodiment illustrated, this shelf or corner plate is permanently fastened by soldering, welding or riveting to the supporting members 11 so as to provide a rigid arm rest or guard on the banjo.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the arm rest is formed of nickel-plated sheet metal bent into form, but it will be apparent thatany other suitable material may be employed and, furthermore, that my improved faszeni g means or supporting elearm rest may be utilized for attaching other articles to the rim or frame of a banjo. I

Having described my invention, I claim V 1; in an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instrun'ients having a head-frame and hooks provided with bill portions engaging said head-frame, a supporting member engaged between the bill portion of one of said hooks and said head-frame, and means for fastening said hook and supporting member simultaneously.

2. In an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instrume ts having a head-frame and hooks provided with bill portions engaging said head-frame, a supporting member engaged between the bill portion of one of said hooks and said head-frame, a flat shelf element fastened on said supporting member, and means for fastening said hook porting member simultaneously.

3. ln anarm rest or guard for banjos or like instruments having a head-frame 'including a hoop provided with a hook-seat 1 and ahook having a bill poi blOD. fitting within said hook-seat, a supporting member having means for providing an interlocking connection between said hook-seat and the bill of the hook.

l. In an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instruments having a head-frame including a hoop provided with a hook-seat and a plurality of hooks having bill portions fittingwithin said hook-seat, a plurality of supporting members having means for proand supviding interlocking connections between said hook-seat and the bills of the hooks, and a fiat shelf element fastened to said supporting members. i

5. In an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instruments provided with a head-frame including a hoop having a hook-seat and a plurality of hooks having means for tightening the same and bill portions fitting within said hook-seat, a supporting member having a reversely-bent terminal portion extending with said hook-seat beneath the bill portions of the hooks to produce an interlocking connection between said hooks and hook-seat upon the tightening of the hooks.

6. In an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instruments provided'with a head-frame including a hoop having a hook-seat and a plurality of hooks having means for tightening the same and bill portions fitting within said hook-seat, a plurality of supporting members having reversely-bent terminal portions extending within said hook-seat beneath the bill portions of the'hooks to produce interlocking connections between said hooks and hook-seat upon the tightening of the hooks, and a flat segmental shelf element fastened to said supporting members.

7. In an arm rest or guard for banjos or like instruments having a head-frame including a rim, hoop provided with a hookseat and a plurality of hooks having means for, tightening the'same and bill portions fitting within said hook-seat, a plurality of supporting members having the general contour of the hooks and providedwith reversely-bent terminal portions extending within said hook-seat beneath the bill portions of the banjo hooks to produce interlocking connections between the hooks and hook-seat upon the tightening of the hooks, and a shelf fasteneo to said supporting members composed of a plate of metal having a segmental flat portion extending over the rim and an arcuate apron portion extending paralle with the rim. 7 s

In witnesses whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification.

LEIGH ARTHUR ELKINGTON. 

